The newest Evil Dead game was announced only in December of 2020 at the Game of the Year awards. Fans of the horror franchise might not have been surprised, because an Evil Dead project has been teased by its main actor for so long. However, gamers of all genres may have questions about the Evil Dead game.
Not everything is set in stone yet, since only a trailer has been teased to fans and onlookers. Still, this will not stop people from wondering if the new Evil Dead game is worth a buy. By reading through everything we know so far, you may answer this question yourself.
What Is Evil Dead?
Movie Franchise
Horror fanatics will know what Evil Dead is, and what the entire Evil Dead franchise stands for. Still, it may come as a surprise to many gamers why there is so much hype surrounding the 2021 Evil Dead game from Boss Team Games and Saber Interactive.
Beginning as a horror film franchise, the Evil Dead saga started in 1981. Director Sam Raimi (also known for his work in the first Spiderman films) planned a horror trilogy around Ashley Joanna “Ash” Williams. Played by Bruce Campbell, Ash starts the Evil Dead franchise by vacationing with four of his friends in a remote cabin in the woods.
They find ancient texts that are best left unfound. From there, horror tropes commence. Notably, the Evil Dead franchise has Ash and his friends facing demons, spirits, and other supernatural beings.
The series is a horror classic. Army of Darkness, the last film from the original trilogy was released in 1992. However, people were not quick to let go of the series. By 2013, a soft reboot of the Evil Dead movies premiered. There have also been other forms of media produced around the franchise. These include a TV series (Ash vs the Evil Dead), a musical, and as this article discusses: video games.
Video Game
Not much is known about the Evil Dead Game of 2021. Simply called “Evil Dead: The Game,” fans can expect to reunite with hero Ashley J. Williams once again.
However, not everything is left in the dark when it comes to this Evil Dead game. Information released by its developers reveals that the game is multiplayer. Like in the movies, players will open a gateway to another dangerous and more demonic world. This is all thanks to the Book of the Dead or the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, an ancient text left by an archeologist in a cabin in the woods.
By teaming up in teams of four, players have to close the bridge between that world and the human world shut. Still, this is not as easy as it seems. The book awakens the woods: werewolves, monsters, and more are on the front lines. A co-op and PvP multiplayer game, the Evil Dead game offers variety for its players. With a franchise spanning decades, players should expect many maps and weapons to choose from. (Yes, this includes Ash’s iconic chainsaw.)
Game Developer
The Evil Dead game is a collaboration by many developers and companies. Because the game is rooted in a popular movie franchise, there must be coordination between its game world and the movie world. Spearheading the development of Evil Dead: The Game are Boss Team Games and Saber Interactive. While the former is an up-and-coming game publisher, gamers may know the latter from its work on the World War Z game.
However, they will not be doing the work alone. Together with movie industry juggernauts Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Lionsgate, they will be shaping the Evil Dead game into a culmination of the entire Evil Dead franchise so far. This excludes Sony’s soft reboot of the series in 2013 though.
Release Date
Announcement for Evil Dead: The Game came as a surprise to attendees of The 2020 Game Awards. However, fans of the series may be less surprised, especially since Bruce Campbell has been teasing a comeback for the series for a while.
Other than its sighting in The 2020 Game Awards, not much else is known about the Evil Dead game of 2021. Its release date is yet to be revealed. Fans, gamers, and onlookers can expect the game to be available on many platforms though. This, the public knows of.
Platforms
Evil Dead: The Game will be as widespread as it can be. Owners of old and next-generation consoles can enjoy a round of this game by the time it is released.
Evil Dead: The Game will be available for playing to anyone who uses either PC, PlayStation consoles (5 & 4), and Xbox consoles (Series X, S, and One). It does not stop there though: even Nintendo Switch players can join in on the Evil Dead game horror.
System Requirements for Evil Dead: The Game
The Evil Dead game’s system requirements are not yet available to the public. However, with more than five consoles (both old and new) to choose from, excited players can be sure that the Evil Dead game is as accessible as it can be. PC players, console gamers, and even Nintendo Switch players can all enjoy Evil Dead: The Game after its release.
Price and Preorder
Since its release is to be determined, the price and preorder methods for the Evil Dead game is unknown. Those looking forward to preordering the game may visit the Evil Dead’s social media accounts for the latest news.
Evil Dead: The Game 2021
Gameplay
Because the original films feature an ensemble of friends in a cabin, people expect Evil Dead: The Game’s gameplay to follow suit.
Evil Dead: The game, to be released sometime in 2021, is multiplayer. It will have both co-op and PvP (player vs player) features. To keep the game dynamic, players can choose from over 25 weapons to go to battle using. The undead, both in the movie and game realms of Evil Dead, can put up a fight.
Fans of the original series may enjoy the game’s homage to its titular character, Ash. Among the weapons are his famous Boomstick and chainsaw. There is no other reason for players to find the Evil Dead game of 2021 boring; it will be packing heavy action punches through and through.
Joining Ash are other characters from the Evil Dead franchise. This includes Kelly, Arthur, and Scotty. This is the biggest crossover for the Evil Dead saga since most of these characters starred in their own Evil Dead projects.
All playable characters, lastly, will have their own skills. It does not stop there, though. Players can grow their characters’ skills as they further play the Evil Dead game of 2021. By doing this, they can survive longer and better. It also just gives the gameplay more value as people play along.
PvP
It is no surprise that other horror games will be released in 2021. Included in this is Back 4 Blood, which somehow features the same gameplay settings as the Evil Dead game. Among their similarities include a PvP setting, which gives players a chance to choose between protagonist and antagonist roles.
For the Evil Dead game, players can choose to play as either a human or as a Kandarian demon themself. Who knows, maybe fellow players will be using Ash’s chainsaw against you.
Story
The Evil Dead game of 2021 will loosely follow the plot of the first two Evil Dead films. Set in the same famous cabin from the franchise, Evil Dead: The Game finds players alone with other players in the middle of a forest.
For those unaware, this is also the same set-up for the first Evil Dead film. Released in 1981, Evil Dead followed the story of five friends who accidentally open a demonic realm using the Book of the Dead (Necronomicon Ex-Mortis). With Ash (Bruce Campbell) as the main protagonist, the young adults must escape out of the woods. The bigger and more important challenge is closing the realm between the two worlds once and for all. As mentioned above, this is not easy, and anyone who tries to do this risks demonic possession.
Evil Dead: The Game will not have the exact same storyline as the first movie. However, its themes, challenges, and stakes remain the same. It is still a team of people against the evils of the Book of the Dead. The main difference between the two is the characters set in them.
The Evil Dead game of 2021 is a culmination of the entire Evil Dead franchise so far. Unlike Resident Evil: Village, it will not only feature one classic protagonist from its genesis. Players can also choose from Scott from the Evil Dead, Kelly from the Evil Dead TV series, Lord Arthur from the Army of Darkness. Notably, players can also drop the protagonist line of characters and start playing as the Kandarian Demon.
Features
The most interesting feature of this Evil Dead game is its character selection. Not only do players get to choose from fan-favorite protagonists across the Evil Dead franchise, but they also can conspire against them. By playing the role of the Kandarian Demon, gamers can keep challenging themselves through the Evil Dead game.
When playing Ash or any of the other characters on his team, players will carry out tasks that bridge the two unlocked worlds together. While this Evil Dead game is definitely an action-horror experience, it is also rooted in teamwork. Together, you and other players will explore, strategize, and loot the woods. There is also a heavy time crunch, which puts your characters’ souls in danger.
Another important feature from the Evil Dead game of 2021 would be its weapon and location choices. As mentioned above, there are over 25 weapons to choose from. This roster includes chainsaws, guns, and even Ash’s Gauntlet. This feature, albeit a small one, keeps gameplay dynamic, fun, and even sentimental for many players. The fact that Bruce Campbell returns to voice Ash makes this endeavor all the more special.
Replayability
Without even ever being played, there is a glimpse of how replayable the game will be. Looking into its features will give gamers a clear idea. With various maps, weapons, and characters to choose from, the Evil Dead game sure seems replayable.
It also helps that characters have a set number of skills that they can grow. Meaning, not one character is like the other; it all depends on how you play them. Players may want a go at each character, with different weapons. Most may even want to completely switch sides and play a demon.
From what people know so far, there are many combinations of character, weapon, and skill to choose from. This by itself makes the Evil Dead game very replayable.
Value
With a franchise career spanning decades, there is a lot of value in playing the Evil Dead game. From items such as Ash’s chainsaw to the Book of the Dead, and even locations such as the Knowby cabin, fans of the series will enjoy Evil Dead: The Game. Moreover, this serves as a Marvel-type culmination for the franchise thus far. Even its latest addition, Kelly from Ash vs the Evil Dead, joins in. There is a character for someone from every generation that enjoys the Evil Dead franchise.
Whether you have been there since the beginning or joined by Dead of the Dawn, Army of Darkness, and the TV series, the Evil Dead game has bouts of sentimentality for you. Of course, fans of the game may wonder what playing the Evil Dead game may have in store for them. It seems that the game is uprooting itself from movie franchises to make a mark in the gaming industry.
At the end of the day, this is Evil Dead: The Game. It should not matter whether players know the movie franchise or not. A good game should fill the holes in for them. Moreover, a good game should have interesting gameplay, missions, weapons, and characters to choose from. It is looking like the Evil Dead game knows this.
Games Like Evil Dead
Back 4 Blood
The people behind the famous horror game, Left 4 Dead, are back with Back 4 Blood. Prepped to be a 2021 release, it is difficult not to see the similarities between this game and Evil Dead: The Game. Both have multiplayer, co-op, and PvP options.
These two games have almost cult-like followings because of their previous releases. One can only build this if they have rich stories and characters. This is another thing they have in common: their stories are different, but they are both very dynamic.
Where the Evil Dead game focuses on demons, Back 4 Blood takes zombie horror tropes and runs with it. The world is emerging beyond a pandemic-ridden era, but before anyone can move on, they must first face the zombies left. These characters are called the Ridden.
Back 4 Blood will be released on June 23, 2021. This first-person shooter game will have eight customizable characters and a wide range of weapons. Like the Evil Dead game, teamwork and strategizing are key. However, also like the Evil Dead game, you can opt to play as the game antagonist. Terrorize your friends as the Ridden when you choose PvP mode.
Alan Wake
Gamers who are as invested in the game’s plot as much as the game’s gameplay will enjoy the Evil Dead game. Hailing from a horror movie franchise, the storyline is one of the Evil Dead game’s expected strengths.
However, they need not wait for the Evil Dead game to get their fix of rich and cinematic gameplay. Alan Wake, a game about a best-selling author who loses his wife, can fill the holes in while they wait.
This game is arranged like a TV series. Beyond horror, Alan Wake is also a mystery action game. Play as Alan and investigate the dark presence that stalks Bright Falls.
Prepare for combat and remember to keep your sanity in check. Another famous horror game, Phasmophobia, has characters’ sanity levels on the line. This makes for even darker and intense gameplay.
Resident Evil: Village
Another horror game expected in 2021 is Resident Evil: Village. As the 8th major installment of the horror classic, Resident Evil, many fans are waiting for its release. This game was announced at the same time as the PS5, and people have been excited about it since.
In Resident Evil: Village, players will see where Ethan Winters’ storyline leads. His new life with his wife, Mia, has finally found peace.
However, it would not be Resident Evil if that peaceful period remained for longer. Struck by another strategy, Ethan is forced to once again face the supernatural. The catch? It is fairly difficult to escape something that you are literally in. A living and breathing village has Ethan intertwined with horror, mystery, and Chris Redfield.
People, not only gamers, have high hopes for this first-person shooter game. Like the Evil Dead game, the Resident Evil franchise has movies, comics, and spin-off games that helped build its large following. Both franchises have had a life span of decades, so they are icons of horror.
Outlast 2
When a cult headed by Sullivan Knoth creates the town of Temple Gate, the world faces more danger than it ever had. In the sequel to Outlast, people may expect Outlast 2 to be a continuation of several stories from its predecessor. This is not the case.
Outlast 2 shares the same universe as Outlast. However, the characters and location are completely different.
In Outlast 2, you play a cameraman investigating the paranormal with your wife. There are no limits to what the two of you can uncover, and as a story unravels before your eyes, you are led to a desert in Arizona. The two of you also follow a trail of clues down to a pregnant woman named Jane Doe.
The Last Of Us
The Last Of Us is another horror game that has developed a large following since its release. It follows the story of Ellie and Joel, two survivors of a pandemic-ridden world. With their new life in Jackson, Wyoming, they have as much peace as traumatized war survivors can get.
Keeping the story rolling, Ellie decides to go beyond Wyoming’s borders. She finds that there are things she still would fight and risk her life for, so she seeks relentless vengeance.
A story built on themes like family, trauma, and life, The Last Of Us introduces you to a beautiful but dangerous new life on Earth. With Ellie’s life almost always on the line, the grit and stakes needed to keep her alive are instilled in every player. The world is beautiful but hostile, and players need proper combat to survive it.
This horror-survival gameplay is an instant classic for gamers worldwide. It has many weapons for players to choose from and customizes Ellie’s skills to each player’s play style.
Dead by Daylight
Last on this list is Dead by Daylight, another multiplayer game where one player is pit against four others. This game is a perfect party game, as the Killer will strategize against other players to win. The survivors will have to escape the Killer before they are killed. It is like an application of a blockbuster horror film.
Killers will be playing in first-person while survivors will play in third-person. By doing this, both parties can internalize their missions more carefully. The setting will change as people play, which makes for even more high-stakes gameplay.
While this deviates from the formula of the Evil Dead game, Dead by Daylight provides the same horror escape for many gamers. Pitting players against each other is a smart move in keeping each game dynamic, valuable, and replayable.
Will Evil Dead: The Game Be Worth the Buy?
The Evil Dead game is one of 2021’s most anticipated horror games. It joins the ranks of games like Back 4 Blood and Resident Evil: Village in terms of following and expectation. What makes Evil Dead: The Game standout is its roots: it is a spawn of the Evil Dead franchise.
Evil Dead: The Game will be a multiplayer co-op horror experience. Fans of the franchise will enjoy it because it is a culmination of the Evil Dead movies and shows so far. Gamers, on the other hand, will enjoy its many features. Included in this are a wide range of weapons, characters, maps, and even gameplay modes (co-op and PvP).
